I have been with Microsoft since 2002, but I have been with Dynamics even longer, starting out with a Dynamics NAV partner in 1992. I currently lead the Partner Programs team in the US Dynamics organization and look forward to keeping in touch with the US Dynamics Partner Community on this blog.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent those of Microsoft. This information is provided by way of general information only and should not be relied on without obtaining independent expert advice. These postings are provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confer no rights. You assume all risk for your use.

Visit the Microsoft Dynamics expo booth & lounge in the Solution Innovation Center and speak directly with the experts on products and services such as:

Microsoft Dynamics AX

Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Microsoft Dynamics GP

Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Microsoft Dynamics SL

Partner Services & Support

Microsoft Dynamics Channel Deep Dive

Expand your capabilities and knowledge by attending keynotes from Microsoft Dynamics executives and attend a specific Microsoft Dynamics track that has over 20 available breakout, interactive, and panel sessions.

Be sure to join Doug Kennedy, Vice President, Microsoft Dynamics Partners for the Microsoft Dynamics value keynote presentation to be held on Monday, July 9 and repeated again on Tuesday, July 10.

Learn more about the Microsoft Dynamics session offerings and start planning your time in Toronto with the WPC agenda and session catalog.

Experience Toronto for Three at WPC Sweepstakes

To make sure you get the most out of your trip, the WPC U.S. Team wants to send an additional member of your team to WPC, for free!

When you register two people, you’re automatically entered to win* a free WPC all access conference pass. Register your first two attendees today and we’ll enter you to win a free WPC Full Conference Pass! Click here to register now!

Triple the networking; triple the celebration with your U.S. Team! Just imagine the full impact of having three team members in Toronto for WPC 2012! Get Started!

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to legal residents of the 50 US + D.C. who are actively enrolled in the MPN. Game ends 5/31/12. For details and free alternate method of entry, see Official Rules.

Like many of you, I spend a lot of time on the road delivering on what’s required in a business that has tremendous momentum. I just reached the highest membership level in my airline of choice’s awards program and I wasn’t sure that I felt like the congratulations they sent me was in order! After all, sometime (I must admit!), I’m a bit tired out! There is one thing, though, that I can always count on to reenergize me like nothing else. The one thing that feels like an immediate charge of my internal battery (much like when I’m searching for an outlet at the airport to charge my computer!), and that’s to hear from a customer just how excited they are about a Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution that Microsoft and one of our partners helped deliver that has made a material impact on their business.

Recently when I needed it most, I heard such a story from one of our customers in the Northeast who was able to significantly improve their sales productivity by deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online in their B2B solution business. The customer told me that their “secret sauce” was their implementation partner who took the time to deeply understand their business and rapidly deploy just the right solution. Now they are expanding their use of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online to the B2C side of their business and will increase their usage by more than 10X. Why? They were impressed by the flexibility and ease of use of their existing solution and they trusted that their implementation partner could make them successful in their B2C business as well. This story (and hundreds like it!) is a great reminder to me that we are winning in this CRM market due to the strength of the solutions we are delivering in the market and because of the strength of our partner community. So for that, I want to write today to say “Thank You!”. You are so incredibly important to the success of our business and I value your partnership today and in the future.

We are driving toward an amazing close to our Microsoft Dynamics CRM fiscal year. Here are some key opportunities for you to be aware of as we head into June:

Catch the CRM Fever! Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q2 CY2012 Service Update Training Blitz We are excited to share with you as part of the energy around our 6-month release cycle we will be hosting our TRAINING BLITZ in May for Sales & Pre-Sales roles to ramp on the newest additions to the product and how they can showcase to our prospects and customers! The TRAINING BLITZ allows you to not only to learn via web sessions but ask interactive questions through the “chat” feature to Microsoft Subject Matter Experts! Register here.

The Big Easy Offer is Back! Accelerate Your New and True Up Deals Customers who make a qualifying purchase between March 5, 2012 – June 30, 2012 will earn a partner subsidy check that can be used for implementation of their Microsoft software and associated services with their choice of an Authorized Selling partner. For Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, they can earn 15% of the annual subscription fee; for Microsoft Dynamics CRM purchased via Open or Open Value, they can earn 10% of license and 20% of annuity. Visit the partner website to learn more!

ESS CAL Offer Extended To June 30th! Grow New Deals and Expand Existing Accounts TodayAt 10% the cost of a full CAL, the Employee Self Service (ESS) CAL enables an enterprise to expand the footprint of CRM to every user within the organization. That means you can not only grow the deal size for new customer opportunities, but also go back and expand within existing accounts. If you aren’t leveraging this license option – and the 5 for 4 ESS Cal offer – today, please revisit PartnerSource for a training refresher.

Maximize the 40% CSA Promotional Fee by Closing Deals in Q4 Prior to the June 2012 Expiration! Back on August 1, 2010, we announced a limited-time CSA promotion where all partners who are eligible for the CSA program and selling new subscriptions of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online will earn 40% on their CSA fees – up from 18% previously. This has been an incredible opportunity, and there is no better time for partners to introduce their customers to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online than now with this promotion! This promotion went into effect August 1, 2010 in North America and will continue to run through June 2012. Please be aware of the expiration date and drive FY12 Q4 Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online deals to maximize their benefit! Read the FAQ on PartnerSource for all the details.

Thanks again for everything you do to drive our mutual Microsoft Dynamics CRM success! What you do keeps me “charged up” while I’m on the go. Best wishes for a strong year-end close!

If you missed the exciting announcement yesterday from Paul White, Senior Director – Microsoft Dynamics ERP Product Management, be sure to navigate over to The Edge blog to learn more about the recent release of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 Beta for partners.

Also, stay tuned for the opening of registration for US Directions 2012. This year’s annual event arrives October 27-30, 2012 in beautiful Phoenix, AZ at the Arizona Biltmore. Directions 2012 will provide you with a great opportunity to hear and learn from the developers who have been working on this release.

Announcing a really cool contest for partners! Share your highlights of how the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Q2 CY2012 Blitz Days helped you Catch the CRM Fever for a chance to win* one of three Xbox with Kinect consoles or Grand Prize of $1,000 USD Gift Card!

How to Participate

Enter sweepstakes by posting and sharing your 30-60 second video highlighting how the Blitz Days helped you Catch the CRM Fever.

We are excited to announce the launch of the new Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) portal for partners in the United States!

As the US Partner Team explains, the new MPN portal helps address some of the most common partner complaints we hear, making it easier to find relevant information and resources as well as get answers to your questions with more robust support functionality.

The design of the new partner site is cleaner and more consistent with other Microsoft sites, and uses graphics and links to better organize content and display to you available content. Throughout the site, we recommend links to content relevant to a specific page that are most commonly used by partners or that reflect new or updated information.

PartnerSource will continue to be the primary online destination for Microsoft Dynamics partners. We also strive to create stronger synergy between the MPN portal and PartnerSource, allowing for a world class partner experience.

As announced on Digital WPC, the WPC Connect site is now live. WPC Connect allows you to customize your Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2012 experience by building individual connections through the online community, scheduling onsite meetings, constructing your session schedule, and participating in groups and discussions.

ATTEND WPC 2012 FOR INSIGHT INTO THE VISION AND STRATEGY DRIVING MICROSOFT DYNAMICS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Make plans now to attend the largest annual networking event for Microsoft partners, and join an estimated 2,000 other Microsoft Dynamics partners expected at this year's Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC). In addition to WPC keynote guest speaker, Deepak Chopra, WPC provides a wealth of learning and networking opportunities.

Expand your capabilities and Microsoft Dynamics knowledge by attending keynotes from Microsoft executives and attend a specific track dedicated to Microsoft Dynamics sessions that has over 20 available breakout, interactive, and panel sessions.

Please join Kirill Tatarinov, President, Microsoft Business Solutions, as he takes part in the Vision Keynote that is scheduled on Tuesday, July 10 from 9:00 – 11:00am at the Air Canada Centre.

Not to be missed is the Value Keynote presented by Doug Kennedy, Vice President, Microsoft Dynamics Partners, to be held on Monday, July 9 and repeated again on Tuesday, July 10. Listen to your peers sharing their success stories, learn about the partner strategy, new programs and key changes & announcements made by Doug Kennedy and let our executives give a glimpse of both ERP and CRM product roadmap and momentum.

Here are some exciting highlights from our breakout and interactive sessions:

While you’re visiting the booth, be sure to spend some time in the Microsoft Dynamics lounge to connect with other partners, have one-to-one discussions with Microsoft Dynamics experts, and catch up on email or recharge your laptop or phone.

Learn more about the Microsoft Dynamics session offerings and start planning your time in Toronto with the WPC agenda and session catalog.

Our series of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner Technical Community Calls continues next month with a session dedicated to data analysis. Register today for this upcoming event taking place on Friday, June 22 at 8:00AM PT.

Getting the most out of your CRM investment is as important today as it’s ever been. The ability to analyze data to drive actionable results is a key factor in making a CRM solution valuable to an organization. Join us to learn more about enhanced business intelligence for Microsoft Dynamics CRM through PowerPivot and the new PowerView capabilities delivered with SQL Server 2012 and SharePoint.